Shidduch-making has just gone viral.
A team of New York developers have created a dating app that matches singles via their mobile phones.
Users sign up to view photographs of other people living in their area.
They are then able to rate them by clicking on icons with the options: Oy Vey! (forget it) Maybe, (I need time to think) or Crush (let’s date).
If someone else viewing their photograph also chooses Crush, the two are put in contact.
JCrush, which uses similar location-tracking technology to the networking site Tinder, launched a month ago and the app was downloaded 5,000 times by people in America, Israel and Australia.
And founder Sonya Kreizman, 28, says there has recently been interest in the UK with more than 800 downloads so far.
“The global Jewish community lacked a modern tool that specifically catered to its demographic with a way to connect,” she said.
“I believe that having an app at your fingertips will revolutionise the way Jewish singles meet.
“We’re different to the others because we have more features, and our unique Jewish elements set us apart.
“There is also the maybe option for example. We made that because the Jewish pool is limited. It allows you to go away and think about someone and look around before deciding if you like them.
“We have had a lot of feedback from users, saying this is what they’ve all been waiting for. We wanted to fix the bugs with the app before we did a big launch, but it has just taken off.”
One user, Joshua Wynne from Essex, tweeted: “In years to come how many children will ask their parents ‘how did you meet?’ And the answer will be JCrush.”
Daniel Harry tweeted: “Finally, a platform for me to use my multitude of Jewish chat-up-lines. What a day.”
Ms Kreizman developed the app with 38-year-old Israeli entrepreneur Itay Koren after working for one of his business partners.
She said: “It was really important to both of us to keep the Jewish community together. We wanted a modern way for young Jewish professionals to connect with something as digitally savvy as they are.
“Of course, we also want to keep your bubbe and mum happy by helping users find a nice Jewish boy or girl.”
